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Answer
A central theme in the book of Romans is the righteousness of God. Before making his case that individuals can share in God’s righteousness by placing their faith in Jesus Christ (Romans 3:21—8:31), the apostle Paul explained the reason why they require it. In Romans 1:18–32, he initiated his argument. Despite God clearly revealing Himself through creation «For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: », (Romans 1:20), people persistently reject Him because they are condemned, powerless, and hopeless without Him. As some individuals refuse to acknowledge God, Paul stated, “God gave them up to a debased mind and to things that should not be done” «And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; », (Romans 1:28, NRSV).
When we deliberately choose to exchange the glory of God and the truth about God for falsehoods, to worship idols and created things rather than the Creator, God grants us our heart’s desires, and we sink further into moral decay. One element of the downward spiral outlined by Paul in Romans 1:18–32 is “a debased mind.” The term “debased” in the original Greek signifies “morally reprehensible, depraved, worthless, despicable.” It is also rendered as “corrupt mind” (CSB), “foolish thinking” (NLT), and “worthless mind” (HCSB).
God has bestowed upon humanity internal «He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world iIn their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God makes from the beginning to the end.” , (Ecclesiastes 3:11) and external (Acts 17:23-31;Romans 1:20) provide evidence of His existence. Some even “knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused” «because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. », (Romans 1:21, NLT). They became like the people of Noah’s time: “The Lord saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time” «And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. », (Genesis 6:5).
Paul stated that a debased mind leads people into “every kind of wickedness, evil, greed, and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them” (Romans 1:29-32).
A debased mind cannot discern whatIs good, righteous, moral, or ethical. It estranges people from God, making them “His enemies, separated from Him by [their] evil thoughts and actions” «And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled », (Colossians 1:21, NLT). Paul explained, “Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so” (Romans 8:5-7).
A debased mind substitutes what is good for what is evil. It exchanges “the truth about God for a lie” «who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. », (Romans 1:25). It places more importance on the creation than the Creator (Isaiah 44:16-18). It seeks guidance from the universe rather than pursuing the God of the universe. Paul warned Timothy, “These people always cause trouble. Their minds are corrupt, and they have turned their backs on the truth. To them, a show of godliness is just a way to become wealthy” «perverse disputings of men of corrupt minds, and destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness: from such withdraw thyself. », (1 Timothy 6:5, NLT). According to Paul, “depraved minds and a counterfeit faith” describe the condition of false teachers «Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses andYes, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.” (2 Timothy 3:8).
Paul urges Christians to “no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts” (Ephesians 4:17-18). As believers, we must guard our minds and “let the Spirit renew [our] thoughts and attitudes. Put on [our] new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy” (Ephesians 4:23-24;NLT). We must let God transform all traces of our previously debased minds “by changing the way [we] think. Then [we] will learn to know God’s will…, which is good and pleasing and perfect” “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” , (Romans 12:2, NLT).
